Suction cleaner



Se t. 20, 1932. A. T. JONES SUCTION CLEANER Filed Jan. 14. 1931 PatentedSept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALFRED T. JONES, OF DETROIT,MICHIGAN, ASSIG-NOR TO THE HOOVER COMPANY, OF

NORTH CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO SUCTION CLEANER Applicationled January 14, 1931. Serial No. 508,581.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general andparticularly to new and novel improvements in rotary agitators forsuction cleaners. More specifically the invention comprises a new andimproved small diameter rotary agitator for a suction cleaner.

The scientifically constructed rotary agitator of the present dayusually comprises a hollow cylindrical shell or body on which aremounted rigid protrusions adapted to contact the surface covering in theoperation of the cleaner, to function as positive beating elements. Toassist the positive beaters in the cleaning function brush elements areprovided which comprise a rigid metallic back to which the bristle tuftsare attached. This brush is preferably seated within the periphery ofthe hollow cylindrical shell in a brush seat, the sides of which arespaced fr0-m the radially extending bristle tufts in order t0 providefor the bristle flexure requisite for efiicient cleaning and long brushlife. It is also necessary that the bristle tufts be ofsuiicient lengthto permit considerable flexing and this necessitates extending the brushseat to a considerable distance radially within the agitator body. Inthe usual cleaner agitator this requirement presents no particularproblem inasmuch as the distance required by the brush seat isconsiderably less than the radius of the agitator and the bottom of thebrush seat in no way interferes with the stationary through supportingshaft upon which the agitator is rotatably mounted.

In certain types of suction cleaners it is desirable that an agitatorhaving a relatively small diameter be incorporated. A new problem ispresented in this type of agitator construction, however, as the bristlelengths must be approximately the same as in the large diameteragitator, thereby requiring that the brush seat extend substantially asfar below the agitator surface as in the large diameter agitator type.It becomes apparent, therefore, that the minimum diameter agitator isthat in which the bottom of the brush seat contacts the supporting shaftin the longitudinal axis. This interference necessitates, if theagitator diameter is to be further decreased, either that the throughsupporting shaft be done away with and in its place stub-shafts used,one at each end of the agitator, or that the length of the brushbristles be decreased. The first expedient has heretofore beenconsidered undesirable inasmuch as it was thought that no means could beprovided by which the stub-shafts at the opposite ends of the agitatorcould be properly and accurately alined as is required if satisfactorybearing life is to be had. To decrease the length of the bristlesresults in a decrease in cleaning efficiency and in brush life. In theagitator constructed in accordance with the present invention, it ispossible, for the first time, to make a small diameter agitator which isrotatably supported by accurately alined stub-shafts and in whichtherefore, no sacrifice is necessary in the length of the .brushbristles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improvedsuction cleaner agitator. It is a further object to provide, in asuction cleaner, a new and improved small diameter rotary agitator. Astill further object is the provision of a small diameter suctioncleaner agitator in which the bearing supports at the agitator ends areaccurately alined yet in which no sacrifice has been made of brushbristle lengths. These and other objects will appear upon reading thefollowing specification and claims and considering in connectiontherewith the attached drawing.

In the drawing, in which a preferred embodiment of the present inventionis disclosed:

Fig. 1 is a partial front view of` a suction cleaner with the nozzleshown in section, which embodies a rotary agitator constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section upon the line 2-2 of Fig. l; i

Fig. 3 is a section upon the line 3-3 of Fiel;

Fig. 4 is a section upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectionthruthe cylindrical body of the presentagltator;

'effect the displacement of Fig. 6 is a section upon the line 6-6 ofFig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a side view, partly 1n section, of the through shaft embodiedin the present agitator;

Fig. 8 is a section upon the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

l* ig. 9 is an enlarged longitudinal cross section thru the end of thepresent agitator;

Fig. 10 is a section, similar to Fig. 9, thru a modified embodiment ofthe present invention.

In the drawing, and in Figure 1 in particular, an agitator constructedin accordance with the present invention, is disclosed embodied in asuction cleaner which includes a nozzle 1, a fan chamber 2, which isinteriorly connected to the nozzle 1 and is provided with an exhaustoutlet 3' to which is con- -nected' a suitable dust bag, which is notshown. An unshown fan is positioned in the fan chamber 2 whichfunctions, as in the usual cleaner to draw air thru nozzle 1 into thefan chamber and exhaust it into the dust bag, in the usualwell knownmanner. The present invention comprises the agitator 4 which is shownpositioned in the nozzle in Figure 1, both the nozzle and the agitatorbeing relatively small as compared to the usual cleaner nozzle andagitator. The agitator 4 includes a hollow cylindrical shell or body 5which may be made of a single or of a plurality of pieces and which isshown clearly in Figure 5. Shell or body 5 includes a por-- tion ofdecreased diameter, indicated by reference character 6, at substantiallyits longitudinal center which functions as a pulley and is connected,thru the driving belt 7, to the unshown rotating shaft of the drivingmotor forward of the suction-creating fan as in the usual suctioncleaner. Radial brush seats 8, 8 are provided in the body 5 which extendlongitudinally upon opposite sides of the pulley 6 and are spacedcircumferentially, preferably 180 degrees. These seats may be formedintegrally with the body 5, as shown in the drawing, or may be formedseparately and secured therein in any suitable manner. On the surface ofthe body and extending helically therearoundare beater elements 9, 9 ofa common and well known type which are adapted to contact the surfacecovering, upon the rotation of the agitator in the operation ofthecleaner, to impart thereto a violent agitation or vibration to theforeign matter embedded in the covering.

Agitator body 5 is provided at its opposite extremities with rigidlyattached thickened ends 10, 10 which are commonly known as end plates orcups. EndslO, 10 are provided with circular cupped seats 11, 11 whichare connected by bores 12,12 to the interior of the agitator body 5. j

Extending between the ends 10, 10 is a rigid deformed shaft or bar 13,clearly shown in Figure 7, which is semi-circular in cross section, thesections bein transposed 180 degrees at substantially tige longitudinalcenter of the shaft. The contour and construction of shaft 13 is suchthat, when in the agitator body and extending therethru, it extendsunder and adjacent the bottom of each brush seat 8 on the opposite sidesof the pulley 6 and in no way interferes therewith. Member 13 ischaracterized by its strength and rigidity which is comparable to thatof a circular shaft which, if extended thru the agitator along thelongitudinal center line, would interfere with the bottoms of bothlbrush seats. At its ends, shaft 13 is circular to provide journals 14,14 which extend thru the bores 12, 12 of the ends 10, 10 ofthe agitatorand are seated therein by the enclosing inner races 15, 15 of the endbearings. These inner races are carried by and secured on the ends 14,14 by nuts 16, 16 which force a shoulder near the inner ends of saidraces against the end plates. A resilient gasket, made of material suchas felt or rubber and indicated by the reference character 17, ispositioned between the aforementioned shoulder on each inner race ofeach bearing and the bottom of the seat in the agitator end plate'forthe purpose of permitting the bearing to be firmly secured on thejournal 14 by the nut 16 Without danger of bending the shaft 13 as wouldbe the case if the plane of the shoulder surface on the race and theplane of the bottom of the seat inl the end plate did not extend exactlyparallel. the useful function of sealing one side of the bearing toprevent the passage of dirt-laden air as would occur in the event of theexistence of a pressure difference between the sides thereof.

The outer race 19 of each bearing which is rotatably mounted on theinner race 15 by balls 18, 18 etc., is frictionally seated in acylindrical cup 20 on the stationary end member or thread guard 21 whichis itself secured to the nozzle end walls for the purpose of supportingthe agitator. The stationary end members 21, 21 overlie and closelysurround the ends 10, 10 of the agitator body and function as protectivemembers for the ball bearings in a well known manner. Between each cup20 and the enclosing wall of the recess 11 of end 10 is provided asuitable seal 22 which cooperates with the gasket 17 in preventing theentrance of dirt and foreign matter into the bearing.

Seated within each of the brush seats 8, 8 is an elongated brushcomprising a rigid back 23 and iiexible bristle tufts 24, 24 etc., whichare carried thereby. One end of the brush back23 extends thru the endwall of the brush seat 8 adjacent the pulley 6 at an opening indicatedby the reference character 25, thereby permitting the insertion of thebrush into the The gasket also performs LST-8,8 5 6 brush seat. Coilsprings 26, 26 seated in suitable recesses-27, 27 in the bottom of eachbrush seat maintain the brush back 23 against the top of opening 25while the opposite end of the brush back 23 is firmly secured to aprojecting portion of the end 10 of the agitator by means of a screw 28.

The agitator-retaining construction within the nozzle comprises means bywhich the agitator may be firmly secured in place yet which will exertno twisting or turmn force tending to disaline the bearings. uch aconstruction is embodied in the present invention as disclosed in Figure1, 2 and3, where the agitator-retaining means are shown to comprise aU-shaped spring member 29 curved on a radius equal to that of the threadguards and of sufficient flexibility'to expand at its downwardlydirected mouth to permit the entrance of the guard. These retainingseats, while flexible and resilient, are of suiiicient strength andrigidity to prevent looseness or unintended'movement of the agitator.Each member 29 is suitably secured to the adjacent end walls of thenozzle as by means of rivets 30, 30, the nozzle end walls preferablybeing recessed to accommodate said rivets. A second spring 31 is alsocarried by each end wall of the nozzle within an extension of the recessprovided for the securing means of the seat spring 29 and is secured bya rivet 32. These springs 31, 31 Contact the adjacent thread guardmembers 21, 21 when the agitator is seated in seats 29, 29, functioning`to center the agitator longitudinally of the nozzle and permit limitedmovement in that direction. he agitator supporting construction isextremely simple and provides means by which the agitator is supportedby its stationary end members, or thread guards, in a manner lsuch thatno bending torque is imposed upon the ends of the agitator though theagitator is held with sufficient rigidity to insure satisfactoryoperation.

Referring now to Figure 10, a modified embodiment of the presentinvention is disclosed in which the stationary end member 21 of theagitator is itself provided with a central stepped bore 33 openingexteriorly into the cup 20. In the agitator constructedv in accordancewith this embodiment, it is possible to remove the clamping nut 16threaded on the ends 14 of the shaft 13 upon first removing a spring cup34, which is seated within the bore 33 and which carries a felt washer35 to prevent leakage of foreign matter into v the bearing thru the bore33. This construction has the advantage that upon the removal of the nut16, the end member 21 and the entire bearing, including the inner race'mounted upon the journal 14, may be removed as a unit. The constructionis identical to the previously described embodiment in all otherparticulars.

I claim 1. In a suction cleaner agitator, a hollow cylindrical body,brush-retaining means within said body extending substantially into thelongitudinal axis, a brush positioned in said means, a supporting shaftextending thru said body shaped to avoid said brush-retaining means, andbearings -in the longitudinal axis of said body supporting said shaft.

2. In a suction cleaner rotary. agitator, a hollow elongated body, aplurality of brushretaining means axially and angular-ly spaced withinsaid body and extending substantially into the axis of rotation, brushespositioned in said, brush-retaining means, a shaft extending thru saidbody and occupying a plurality of angularly-spaced positions about saidaxis'to avoid said brush-retaining m'eans, and bearings in therotational axis of said body supporting said shaft. 3. lIn a rotaryagitator for a suction cleaner, a hollow elongated body, brush-retainingmeans within said body extending substantially into the axis ofrotation, a brush seatedv in said-brush-retaining means, a'sha-ftconnected to and extending thru said body comprising a 'prtion offsetfrom the axis of rotation adjacent said brush-retaining means and havingjournals'at its ends in said axis of r0- tation, andbearings supportingsaid journals.

4. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a hollow elongated body,a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinallyspaced brush seatsin said body extending substantially into the axis of rotation,

brushes seated in said brush seats, a shaft connected to and extendingthru said body comprising offset portions adjacent each of said brushseats and having journals at its ends in said axis of rotation, andsupporting bearings in which said journals are mounted.

5. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a hollow elongated body,a plurality of longitudinally-spaced brush seats in said body indifferent circumferential positions extending substantially into theaxis of rotation, brushes seated in said brush seats, a shaft connectedto and extending thru said body comprising portions spaced from the axisof rotation adjacent said brush seats, journals at the ends of saidshaft in the axis of rotation, and supporting bearings in which saidjournals are mounted.

6. In .a suction cleaner rotary agitator, ahollow elongated body, abrush positioned in said body extending substantially into the axis ofrotation, a shaft extended thru said body offset from the axis orrotation adjacent I said brush and, at its ends, centered on the axis ofrotation and supported by bearings.

Signed at Detroit, in the county of Wayne,

and State of Michigan, this 2 day of January,

ALFRED T. JONES.

